Cute Cubs! National Zoo Launches Live Webcam of Week-Old Lion Cubs

August 31st was a special day at the National Zoo -- four lion cubs were born! It is the first litter to a five-year-old lioness named Shera. But you don't have to be a visitor at the zoo to check out the tiny newborns. (In fact, even visitors won't see the cubs until late Fall when they're old enough to head out into the yards.) The National Zoo has launched a webcam allowing you to look in on the lioness and her cubs.

Check out the live webcam of the cubs. These cubs are an important step for the zoo's work on building a pride of lions. There are three lions, and these four cubs make seven total. Though it will be a while yet before they're integrated -- according to the zoo, it takes as long as six weeks before new cubs are introduced to the pride.

Zoo Director Dennis Kelly said, "These cubs symbolize hope for the Zoo and for conservation programs. They will help build healthy, genetically diverse populations and contribute greatly to their species' survival."